Last Thursday I turned 50 and It was a glorious birthday. I had already been on vacation for close to a week, the weather was fantastic, and the anticipated arrival of my newly discovered ‘Fiddy Sense’ had finally become reality. Turning half-a-century has enlightened me in ways that just a few days ago-I couldn’t have imagined.

My father, who is 89, and still capable of doing things that most 69-year-olds wish they could, always told me of things that I now realize as truth. “Friends are few, and far between.” “Most ‘friends’ you run across could give less than a damn about you-The ones you waste the most time with, will be the first ones to forget your name.” “Your best friends will be your wife and children, they live with you everyday-They know your shit stinks, and they still wanna hug you anyway.” “Smile, and the world will smile back at you-keep a frown and not one person will be around.” “Be half the man I am-I will be one-hundred percent grateful.”

I used to think that the above proclamations of Paul were nothing more than misguided meanderings of my father. He left home at 13, and essentially has been on his own ever since. He served our country in Germany during WWII and returned to the States with the same honor and pride of a Tuskegee Airman. My father never flew combat missions abroad, but he was a hell of an accomplished pilot of life once he returned home.

My father worked at B.F. Goodrich for 40-years. Besides a week-long strike in the 60’s, he never missed a day. More impressive, is the fact that he kept two or three other gigs at the same time. Plowing snow, landscaping(2nd ‘full-time job’ for years) moving furniture etc.=Whatever it took. “You have to hustle and scuffle for every dime you get.”

Acquiring ‘Fiddy Sense’ last week was beyond a blessing. The wise words of my father were realized in a profound manner that exceeded the ‘wisdom’ of my 20’s, 30’s, or for that matter… my 40’s. Those decades, FOR ME, were about most things going in one ear, and out the other. For some reason, I can not only hear, I can see clearly now, the reign of my less than wise ‘Fiddy sense’ is forever gone. I’m fucking fifty, I’m beyond nifty, and thanks to Paul-I believe I can continue to fly! ~Daryl

Tavis Smiley is not new to criticism here at the GetReal. I have spoken often about what little respect I have left for his hating ass, and his favorite sidekick Dr. Cornel West, so I will be brief with this post that addresses Smiley’s criticism of today’s BRILLIANT response by President Obama concerning the Trayvon Martin case and racism in general.

I believe that Smiley is genuinely concerned with nothing but self-promotion. He runs his mouth about concerns of the poor, yet, he has been lying in a bed of endorsements for his bullshit with Wells Fargo-one of the best known companies, that had its foot illegally so far up the ass of of many African-American “homeowners” during the real estate collapse of recent years. He masks his outright hatred/jealousy of Barack Obama behind phrases such as “I want to hold him accountable” and “Obama is the first president who hasn’t invited me to the White House.” Ever since then Senator Barack Obama turned down Smiley’s invitation to his 2008 “State of the Black Union“-Smiley has kept his “Obama-Hating” panties in a bunch.

It didn’t/doesn’t matter that Sen. Obama may just have been a tad bit more occupied with such an “unimportant” issue as preparing to run for president. Despite Barack having appeared on his show several times, Smiley chooses to act like a woman scorned. Every opportunity he gets, he is overly critical of the POTUS, and accuses him of not being concerned for the poor-especially the underprivileged in the black community. Check out the link above that proves my point. Tavis Smiley might just have titties, and a vagina, because every chance he gets=He tries to literally FUCK “OUR” president.~Daryl

Shitt Romney, showed just how out of touch he is with the African-American community with his bullshit attempt at a speech in front of the NAACP this past Wednesday. Instead of addressing how he would ease the unemployment rate, which is nearly double the national average, this imbecile stands before the audience and tells them he will wipe out most of the policies that would benefit them the most. This moron deservedly received a loud round of boos as he bad-mouthed the AHCA and expressed his intentions of repealing it.

I don’t believe for a minute that this asshole had any intention other than appealing to the racist tea-party constituency that has yet to warm up to his campaign. Later that evening, during an interview about the speech, he alluded to folks receiving “free stuff” and how nothing is “free” in this life. This self-entitled, greedy bastard, who had wealth handed to him on a silver plate, has the utter gall to lecture to hard-working, middle-class American’s, who have to hustle for every dime they earn. It is as ridiculous as his previous statement about knowing what it is like to be “unemployed.”

Shitt Romney, and his Koch Brother’s influenced crowd, can attempt to buy the election in November, but what they cannot buy and erase, is the reality that they have no good intentions for the African-American agenda as well as other minorities…and the middle-class as a whole.

First of all, 2 anyone who has taken the time 2 read this=Thank U. Any of you, that are reading this, and are offended, let me start off by saying KISS MY ASS!!!!!(You probably are one of the bastards referred too in this piece). The definition of ” being” black has always been something of interest too me. Looking the way that I did/ do, has ALWAYS been a hot topic to those around me, and those who don’t know a thing about me. Just got the infamous,”Excuse me,I don’t mean to be funny, but I was wondering, What are you?” from some Berenstain Bear looking heifer. For those that don’t know me=The story is simple. I had the supreme blessing to have been adopted by Paul&Minnie Mae Robinson. My mother, Minnie Mae Robinson, picked me out from Cooke County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois… and literally gave me=MY LIFE. She didn’t give a shit about how light or dark I was. Didn’t give a fat fuck, if I was “totally”/”half”/a “motherfucking quarter”/or a whatever, none % black.They simply chose ME. Paul&Mae= are/were the best examples of TRUE CHAMPIONS. They were a strong black couple, in times that had too be far more difficult than we could imagine now. My father worked his ass off at B.F.Goodrich for over 40 years. Never missed a day. He also held a second FULL-TIME job -doing landscaping.Quite simply, this STRONG, African-American Male role model, set a standard, that I am still in awe of, to this very day. My mother was a beautiful, strong and very determined woman. She could charm your pants off, but she could quickly bring you too your knees -with one of her infamous tell offs. Bottom line is =I know and recognize the infinite spectrum of “Blackness.” It’s not the punk-assed motherfucker who is so black, that he was marked absent from night school for a whole semester. Not the backwoods, inbred, country fucks, who called me “blackie” or the N word, all the way from summer camp, as a kid, up through college. Polar opposites of the same vile, racist and utterly disrespectful bullshit rhetoric that I’ve heard for a lifetime. If I let THEIR definition of my “blackness” define my essence, then I wouldn’t know shit. Instead, I rely on the most “defining” factor=My experience(s). Walking the halls of Crouse School and sneaking into Perkins Pool after dark. Growing up on Noah Ave, and games of hide and go seek in the summertime. Hanging out with Tony, Ricky&Ray, Tiny&Tino,Pea wee, Lukey and a host of others. Watching strong black men, work two and three jobs, to hold it down for their families…unlike a lot of the “real” brothas of today. Men like Paul Robinson,Larry Parent,Charlie Knotts,Walter White, Rueben Cornelius, Willie O’Hara and Johnnie Butler didn’t sit around waiting for shit to happen, they went out and “made” their respective realities. Being a student of my father’s type of lesson plan(s) is what educated me on loving,respecting and upholding the beauty of a strong black woman(Can Clarence Thomas say this?=FUCK NO). In the future, it will also guide me in properly raising a confident, and resilient, nubian queen also known as my daughter Nina. My father used too tell me “If ANYONE messes with you, or questions you about what race you are-You tell them that you are first and foremost a MAN. If ANYONE “FUCKS” with you, then they deal with me and their question(s) will be more than answered.” Thanks To Paul&Minnie Mae Robinson For Always Having My Back!!!!!!!

"We did not weave the web of life, we are merely strands in it. Whatever we do to the web we do to ourselves.” ― Chief Seattle. Awestruck Wanderer is written and edited by Eduardo Carli de Moraes, journalist, philosopher and musician. Write to me: awestruckwanderer@gmail.com. Cheers, fellow earthlings!

“Our strength is grounded in our individuals, civic, religious and business leaders working and making things happen. But government can't stand on the sidelines; it can and should refocus our energies on building an economy that grows for everybody. I remain confident that the future still looks brighter than the past.” - President Obama 12/4/13 Center For American Progress